In an interview with Paper magazine, Beth Ditto admits that she leans toward shoplifting, that corn dogs are her favorite food and when it comes to underwear, exclaims, "I love Delta Burke panties!" But the best part? She explains:

"There was a time when I was sleeping on the couch of my aunt who was dying of cancer. Then she died and I didn't have anywhere to go. How can you do your homework when that's happening? My teacher took some pity on me… But the whole point of me rambling about that is, I said to my teacher, ‘I can't be a singer because I'm not pretty enough and I'm fat.' And she looked at me and said, "Tell that to Nell Carter, babe.' That changed my life forever!"

That the little girl from Searcy, Arkansas, had such a positive, inspiring teacher is heartening, and really more important than any of the critics who take one look and call Beth "unhealthy" or a "bad role model." She's not only a singer, but a confident woman, a fashion muse, a magazine cover girl and a well-grounded person (If her singing career fizzles, she says, she'd be "thrilled" to work as a hairdresser.) Will someone someday tell some talented but self-doubting kid out there, "tell that to Beth Ditto"? Who knows. But as an A&R guy tells Paper: "Beth is everything a rock star should be."